Flower stemming machine



g- 3, 1955 N. GIOVANNIELLO 3,197,998

FLOWER STEMMING MACHINE Filed Sept. 2'7, 1962 S Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

as 6.9 JIIIIIIII'VIIIYY INVENTOR. h, NUNZIO GIOVANNIELLO ATTORNEY g- 3, 1955 N. GIOVANNIELLO 3,197,998

FLOWER STEMMING MACHINE Filed Sept. 2'7, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

NUNZIO GIOVANNIELLO QPMM (A ATTORNEY 1955 N. GIQVANNIELLO 3,197,998

FLOWER STEMMING momma Filed Sept. 27, 1962 s Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3B 4 4 HQ 3A FIG (PRIOR ART) (PRKSR ART) 94 INVENTOR.

NUNZIO GIOVANNIELLO FIG. 68 g ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,197,998. Patented Aug. 3, 1965 3,197,998 FLOWER STEMMING MACHINE Nunzio Giovanniello, Ridgewood, N.Y., assignor to B 8: K Tool, Die & Stamping Co., Inc., Woodhaven, N.Y.

Filed Sept. 27, 1962, Set. No. 226,551 Claims. (Cl. 72-385) to reinforce or extend the stem. A typical machine for automatically performing this operation is fully described in US. Patent No. 2,022,043.

Such flower stemmingmachines, however, have been seriously burdened by the necessity of using pick advancing means such as push rods, that were incapable of functioning effectively unless perfectly formed picks were supplied. Frequently, an improperly formed pick is loaded into the machine causing a jam during the operating cycle because of defective feeding. The jamming tends to disrupt the space and rhythm of the operator who is expected to produce a specified number of stemmed flowers per unit of time. In addition, the loss of productive time and the destruction of picks is costly and reduces the profit of the florist or other user.

One of several reasons for poorly formed picks is that the pick stamping dies become worn from prolonged use. This manifests itself in picks having burrs or similar defects. In the prior art devices, if there was a burr on one pick, then that pick and the next higher pick would be fed together thus causing a jam in the machines adapted to feed only a single pick. Another source of nonuniformity in picks is the material used in their fabrication. It is well known that the hardness characteristic of steel will vary from batch to batch. Thus, in large quantities, the angularity of the deformable pick fingers may vary over a wide range causing either improper' feeding or preventing feeding entirely. In the past it has been necessary to discard poorly formed picks and to frequently replace the stamping dies responsible for the imperfections.

Although these machines have been in use approximately thirty years, the present invention apparently is the first improvement which successfully circumvents the problems hereinabove enumerated. In no way does the invention improve either the material qualityof the picks or their stamping dies.. However, use of the improved push rods, in combination with existing machines, permits feeding of all picks, defective or not. Since the machines will not accommodate a wider quality range of picks, a further benefit will accrue. dies will be of smaller consequence, requiring less frequent changes. The cost of the dies'may be amortized over a longer useful life thus bringing down the unit cost of both dies and picks. V l I Therefore, the primary objects of the invention are to provide improved push rods which will, in turn, assure an improved flower stemming machine.

It is an important object that the improved push rod be capable of feeding picks that are burred or have other deformities such as may'occur when steel of diverse properties is used in their fabrication.

An additional object is to-provide compensating means associated with the push rods for the accommodation of a wide quality range of picks.

Another object of the present invention is to proivde an improved flower stemming machine.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an The wear of the stamping improved push rodutilized in flower stemming machines.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a means to prevent jamming of flower stemming machines.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will, in part, be pointed out withparticularity and will, in part, become obvious as the description proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which forms an integral part thereof.

- In the various figures of the drawing, like reference characters designate like parts.

In the drawing: 7

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a conventional flower stemming machine partially broken away.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the flower stemming machine of FIG. 1 with the housing removed to show the operating mechanism and guide ways associated with the new push rods.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are plan and end views respectively of a conventional flower pick.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are end elevations of prior art push rods shown respectively engaging a plurality of'picks and missing a portion of a defective pick in such a way as to cause jamming. 1

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C are respectively, plan, side, and end views of the new push rod with a standard flower pick shown in phantom in FIG. 5A. 1

FIGS. 6A and 6B are side and end views respectively of the new push rod shown engaging normal and defec-' tive. picks.

In FIGS. 3A and 3B, there is shown a standard flower pick generally designated as 10, comprising a substantially flat body portion 12 having a longitudinal central depression 14 and terminating at one end 16 in notches or teeth 18 spaced on either side of the longitudinal center position. The opposite end 20 of body 12 is provided with spaced fingers 24 staggered on both sides of the pick body and having a portion 24a engageable by push rods. Fingers 24 are deformable abouta flower stem in a manner to be described hereinafter.

With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, there is shown and there will be described briefly the mechanism for feeding and deforming picks illustrated in FIG. 3. Base supports a pair of vertical pick holding stanchions 32 laterally spacedabout a longitudinal machine center line and in staggered relationship to each other. Guide flanges 34, extending the full height of each stanchion, are adapted to fit between adjacent fingers 24 of stacked picks 10. Guide flanges 34 also serve as tracks in which weights 35 may ride as they rest on top of and retain of which will be hereinafter described.

Shaft is journalled in spaced side walls of base 30, one end of said shaft extending through the base to mount actuating arm 42 and knob 44 integral therewith. Also, rigidly mounted on shaft 40 is a lever 46 and a crank arm 48. lever 46, resiliently biased by means of spring 50, engages a pair of legs 52 depending downwardly from U-shaped undersur face of pusher plate 54. Transverse slot 56, on the top surface of pusher plate 54 is adapted to engage the tail end of the push rods. Upon rotation of actuating arm 42 to the left (arrow a in FIGS. 1 and 2), lever 46, rigidly attached thereto, will be rotated counterclockwise, carrying with it pusher plate 54. Cover plateSS, aflixed to base 30 by screws retain the push rods during their translation within guide ways 38. As the pick is advanced to the left (FIG. 1 and FIG. 2), body portion 12 slides along groove 36 and underneath adjustable retaining spring 59 so that the pick follows an exact and predetermined path. At this point the operator places a flower stem on the fingers 24 at end of pick 10 for subsequent crimping.

In order to deform or crimp fingers 24 about the flower stem, actuating arm 42. is now rotated to the right (arrow 12, FIGS. 1 and 2), carrying with it connecting linkotl, one end of which is pivotallymounted on stud 62 of crank arm 48. Slot 64 in connecting link permits the original pick advancing motion to the left to take place without closing the crimping jaws. At its opposite end, connecting link 60 is conrlectedto one arm 65 of hell crank 66 which is pivotally mounted on cross shaft 68, journaled in spaced side walls of base 30. The other arm 67 of bell crank 66 terminates in cam 68 adapted to cooperate with and actuate crimping jaws 70 which are pivotally mounted in case 30 on studs 72 resiliently biased to their normally open position (FIG. 2) by leaf springs 74. Cover plates 76, also secured to base 30, conceal and protect crimping jaws 70. The rotational movement of actuating arm 46 to the right causes the cam 68 to be forced'upward' between the crimping jaws 70, closing jaws 70 about fingers 24 of pick 10, thus gripping the flower ste'm. As arm 4'6 is allowed to return to its neutral position (FIG 2.) by the return action of spring 50, the jaws open, releasing the finished flower and the machine is ready for the next cycle.

Previously referred to were components essential to the improved flower stemming machine, namely, push rods a and 80b. It may be seen clearly in FIG. 2 and FIG. 5A that because of thestaggered relationship of the pick fingers 24, andbecause both push rod-s are actuated from common slot 56 in pusher plate 54, the push rods must have different lengths. Pins 57, integral and downwardly depending from the under surface of the push rods 30a and 80b provide releasable connection means with the pusher plate 54. -In addition, in the manufacture of picks, it is imperative to allow some radius at the junction of fingers 24 and body 12. Hence push rods 80a and 80b.

are provided with relief in the form of chamfered corners 8-2. -While this necessitates right and left hand push rods, the subsequent description, however, will bexdirooted to only one pu s'h rod, it being understood that the construction and function are the same for both except as noted above, i

There is provided in the forward tip end 84 of push rodbody 85 a step 86 of such dimension as to engage one and only one pick with enough margin to allow for burrs on said pick. Typically, a pick is approximately 0.012" thick, and a burr 0.003" thick. Therefore, step 86, having'a rise of 0.014, can only advance one pick at a time, whether they are perfectly stamped orburred as the result of using worn dies. Charntfer 88 is also provided at theextreme tip end 84 assuring smooth travel of the push rod beneath finger 24. Face '89, formed between step 86andbody 85 of the push rod, seats firmly and squarely against the trailing edge of the rearmost finger 2A of pick 10. Chamfer '88 also guides the pick finger 24' to abutment with face '89.

An additional problem the push rod must cope with is the inadvertent bending of fingers 24. Should this occur, push rods of the present invention automatically adjust to the required height by means of spring member 90. Cut

out 92 formed in bottom surface 94 serves to retain spring member 90. As shown, spring member is essentially U-shaped having concave legs 90a adaptedt-o slide in ways 38. Spring ends 9012 and 900 are retained by the walls of cutout- 9 2. If the portion 24a of finger 24 is distorted in away suchthatit may not be engaged by rm 89' of the push rod, as isnormal, then the push rod is allowed a minute amount of vertical rise by the action of spring member 90, This is best illustrated in FIGS.

6A and 6B, the dot-ted outline showing the second or adjusted position. It should be understood that spring member 99, as illustrated, may be replaced by other suitably shaped resilient biasing means such as a leaf spring.

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B illustrate two shortcomings of the prior art which are overcome by the present invention. The prior art push rod-s a and 10% of FIG. 4A may engage portion 24a of pick finger 24 at any point on its front surface 102. If two or more picks are stuck together for any reason both will be advanced by the push rod. In an extreme case, if the push rod wears too much on its bottom surface as a result of prolonged and repeated sliding within the ways it could adversely affect the translation of the picks from the point beneath the stanchions to thecrimpingjaws. Also, because it lacks compensating means, such as had been provided in the present invention, the push rods are incapable of advancing picks with even slightly deformed fingers 24.

. Thus it can be appreciated that the apparatus of the present invention has successfully eliminated a defect that has been associated with flower stemming machine's since their inception. Delays initiated by defective picks are eliminated, therdbyincre asing production and reducing the cost of manufacture. In addition, the push rods do not have to be replaced as often because wear of the rod surfaces are compensated for. by the pressure of the springs urging the rods against the picks. This, too, serves to reduce the cost of the operation of the flower stemming machine. v v

There has been disclosed heretofore thebest embodiment of the invention presently contemplated and it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I What is claimed is:

1. In a flower stemming machine of the type described, having a pushed rod sliding in a ways and means for supporting a stack of thin, sheet metal nested picks above said ways the improvement comprising spring means disposed in between the push rod and the ways for urging saidpush rod upwardly in a horizontal plane parallel to the horizontal plane of the ways so as to cause engagement between the lowest of the nested picks and the push rod.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said spring means fits into a recess in the lower portion of the push rod.

3. The device of claim 1 including a step portion extending forwardly of the push rod, said step portion having an upper face lower than the upper face of thepush rod at their point of junction defining a vertical face whereby the pick is engaged by said vertical face.

4. The, device of claim 3 wherein said step portion terminates at its leading edge in a downwardly sloping surface. 1

5. The device of claim 3 wherein said vertical face has a vertical dimension of less than the thickness of'the pick.

6. An improved flower stemming machine comprising in combination:

(a) means forreceiving and holding a thin, sheet metal pick. in a predetermined normal position;

(b) a jaw mechanism adapted to engage said pick to attach. it to the stem of a flower;

(c) means for moving the pick from said holding means into operative relation with said jaw mechanism;

(d) means for operating the pick moving means;

(e) means for operating the jaw mechanism;

(f) said pick moving means comprising a rod; and

(g) spring means directly beneath said rod whereby said spring means urges the leading end of said rod upwardly in a horizontal plane parallel to and away from the surface of said machine upon which said rod is disposed and towards said pick in said holding means. j

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said spring means 10. The device of claim 8 wherein said face has a fits into a recess in the lower portion of said push rod. vertical dimension of less than the thickness of the pick.

8. The device of claim 6 including a step portion extending forwardly of said push rod, said step portion References Cited y the Examine! having an upper face lower than the upper face of the 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS push rod at their point of junction defining a vertical face 2 022 043 11/35 Knuufila whereby said pick is engaged by said vertical face. 2:264:738 12/41 Blann 9. The device of claim 8 wherein said step portion ter- 2,279,633 4 M2 Paxton minates at its leading edge in a downwardly sloping surface. 10 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A FLOWER STEMMING MACHINE OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED, HAVING A PUSHED ROD SLIDING IN A WAYS AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A STACK OF THIN, SHEET METAL NESTED PICKS ABOVE SAID WAYS THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING SPRING MEANS DISPOSED IN BETWEEN THE PUSH ROD AND THE WAYS OF URGING SAID PUSH ROD UPWARDLY IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE PARALLEL TO THE HORIZONTAL PLANE OF THE WAYS SO AS TO CAUSE ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE LOWEST OF THE NESTED PICKS AND THE PUSH ROD. 